Strategies that Boost Employee Retention
Turnover is a problem for every organization. Reducing it can lead to creating a sustainable Top Performing team. Below are three strategies that you can start working on TODAY which will make an impact at your organization.
Begin with the end in mind.
Give some thought to your current talent gaps, the leadership pipeline, and future growth plans. Determine what your short term (six months) and long term (three year) hiring needs may be. Then determine what resources, processes, and leadership pipeline you have in place to meet those goals. Ask yourself "What kind of people do we want on our team? What kind of culture will attract them and unleash their Top Performance? How will we strengthen our bench? And how long can we keep talented people on our team?" Talent retention is very complex and has many stages. Those stages just don't begin and end on the first day of hire. This process is built into your organizations values, culture, career path, and every manager must know their goal is to build their replacement.
Make the first 100 days count.
Having a detailed development plan is key for every position. From your personal trainers, membership sales personal, down to the front of the house team. Defining these onboarding milestones help keep the enthusiasm, inspire your team members, and maximize retention. Once you have a 100 day plan in place, ensure that the leaders within your organization are sharing that plan with those that are new to the team. Communicating that there is a future within the organization and that you care about their success and have a plan for their development at your organization is key. Following up and maintaining that plan is challenging but well worth the effort.
In the health club business, it is imperative that every single member of your team spend at least one full day working in every department. Never underestimate the power of "crosstraining" your team. And when everyone knows the duties and responsibilities of each department, manager and person, the club will flow much smoother and the team will work harder to support one another.
Conduct "stay" interviews.
Everyone knows what an exit interview may look like, but when was the last time you had a "stay" interview with the members on your team? Essentially, sit down with each member of your team periodically in order to gain valuble feedback that will improve your organization. This should be built into your training and development program. When you sit down with your team in a one-on-one situtation and have an honest conversation you will be surprised at the results. On top of what you can learn, just asking an employee for feedback or insights shows that you are invested and care about their success. ALERT! Owners and managers need to be able to hear the good with the bad. Let the team members express themselves openly and honestly without fear of termination or disciplinary action (as long as it is done in a professional way of course).
"It's hard to find good help these days." I call BS! It's harder to keep the good help these days, but you must start from day one building a culture that empowers people to stay, grow and produce. True, on-boarding and training costs can be very high but losing a top performing employee can cost even more. Strategies to reduce turnover and increase retention are a must for any organization that is looking to create sustainable top performing teams and profitable fitness businesses.
What do you do to boost employee retention and performance? Share some ideas with us below!
